Thinking Through the Bible

Heart Types and The Parable of the Sower

The Parable of the Sower soil types can also be viewed via the lens of ones’ heart condition related to the four soil types, leading to these 4 heart types:

Blind Heart

Rocky Heart

Rebellious Heart

Remaining Heart

The heart here relates to one’s inner intentions and motivations, rather than to a biological / physical heart.

Blind Heart:

A person with a Blind Heart does not understand the value of God’s Word, and so the divine message communicated is disregarded, corresponding to the seed sown along the path.

Matthew 13:19 (NIV): 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

If you have a blind heart, God is able to replace it. When willfully blind, God has been known to willing to let people have their own way and ignore God to their own detriment

Isaiah 6:10 (ESV): 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Rocky Heart:

An individual with a Rocky Heart is at first enthusiastic upon hearing the Good News of God’s Word. Unfortunately, too much confidence is placed in this enthusiasm or even some ritual. The person with a Rocky Heart is on a shallow foundation, leading to a lack of will to strengthen & safeguard the initial gift, paralleling the seed sown along the path with rocks right below the surface.

Matthew 13:20-21(NIV): 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

Even though people falling away from God and away from righteousness has been the way of humankind, God has much better desires for each person while there is still time.

Psalm 53:2-4 (ESV): 2 God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand,who seek after God.3 They have all fallen away;together they have become corrupt;there is none who does good not even one.

Once a person has been given the insight to know that Jesus is the one true God, then their mission is to continue to seek, pursue, and imitate Jesus and his righteousness to build a sure foundation.

Rebellious Heart:

People with Rebellious Hearts only partially commit to Christ, leaving disastrous vulnerabilities to worldly desires & concerns. Satan leverages these vulnerabilities to stifle their walk with God, because the Devil has their own consent because of people’s deliberate negligence to challenge and pull up these weeds. To do otherwise is like the seed sown among thorns.

Matthew 13:22 (NIV): 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Each person has responsibility to promote the growth of God’s word as primary in their lives, eliminating obstacles, just like God expected from the people of Israel.

Ezekiel 18:31 (ESV): 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”

While we have the responsibility to clean up our heart and our spirit to the extent we can, God through his Son Jesus Christ is holy and ultimately is the only one who can fully give us a new heart and new spirit.

Remaining Heart:

Characters with a Remaining Heart dedicate themselves fully to Jesus and are firmly established, leading to reaping the fruit of righteousness plentifully, like seeds down among good soil.

Matthew 13:23 (NIV): 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

We learn from King David, a man after God’s own heart, the importance to direct our whole heart towards God. King David wisely presented the benefits that accrue and the consequences of doing otherwise, understanding God watches all we do, all we think, and all our motivations.

1 Chronicles 28:9 (ESV): “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.